Darren Bent limped out of training this morning to reduce Capello’s options for tomorrow’s World Cup qualifier against Ukraine still further, following the injury withdrawals of Carlton Cole and Emile Heskey after Saturday’s victory over Slovakia.

That left just Peter Crouch - who Capello has confirmed will start at Wembley tomorrow night - to fill the advanced berth usually occupied by Heskey.

And now Capello has also picked Agbonlahor, who is recovering from a hamstring injury - instead of experienced Newcastle United striker Michael Owen.

Capello said: “[Bent] is injured, he has some problem. He tried to
stay here but after the warm-up there was a problem, so I decided to
change players.

“We decided to choose Agbonlahor for the next game."

Agbonlahor was impressive on his senior international debut in Germany
last November but has suffered a dramatic loss of form since.

One goal in his last 16 matches for a struggling Villa side saw him
booed by his own fans in a recent home game against Tottenham, before
he was dropped by Capello when he picked his original squad for the
current double-header.

He was selected instead by under-21s boss Stuart Pearce, only to pull out last Thursday with a hamstring strain - which now appears to have healed sufficiently.

Capello’s decision to again overlook Newcastle’s Michael Owen when calling up a striker is bound to attract attention.

Yet the Italian insisted Owen, England’s fourth-highest goalscorer but hampered by injuries in recent years, will come into contention when he proves his form over a consistent run of club games.

He said: “In every interview I said the door, for all the players, is open. I chose Agbonlahor because he has played a lot of games. I respect Owen but I am focused on the game of football.”